Radar systems are electronic systems that use radio waves to derive information about remote targets. The targets may be physical objects, such as aircraft or missiles, or natural occurrences, like weather formations. In a typical implementation, a radio wave is launched toward an area where a target may be located. Reflections from a target, if any, are then analyzed to determine information about the targets. The information can include, for example, the range of the target, the speed of the target, the altitude of the target, the direction of the target, the size of the target, and/or other information. Modern radar systems are used to perform a wide variety of different applications, both military and commercial.
Radar systems can be complex systems. As with most complex electronic systems, development and operational costs of radar systems are often an issue. That is, it is generally desirable to develop systems that will perform a desired radar function at a lowest cost possible. Thus, radar architectures and associated operating methods are needed that are capable of achieving good performance at relatively low cost.